Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
June 6, 2005

CROATIAN PRESIDENT VISITS GOMIRJE MONASTERY

On June 4 President Stjepan Mesic of the Republic of Croatia visited Gomirje Monastery in the Diocese of Gornji Karlovac. The Croatian president was welcomed by His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac, the clergy and monks of the Diocese and numerous residents from the village of Gomirje and surrounding villages. On this occasion a cultural and artistic program was prepared and performed by the Culture and Arts Society and the Society of Women from Gomirje.

In a statement for journalists President Mesic said that his long planned visit to the monastery had finally been realized and emphasized the importance of the history of Gomirje Monastery.

In his welcoming remarks, Bishop Gerasim emphasized that the visit of the Croatian president was a historic event for both the monastery and the Diocese of Gornji Karlovac and for the village of Gomirje and the entire region. He added that the Serbian community wishes to contribute to the development of Croatia so that it rapidly becomes part of the European Union.

According to the folklore of Gomirje natives, the monastery dates back to 1600. The cornerstone of its church was placed by the monks of Krka Monastery who also founded Gomirje Monastery. The monastery has a difficult past. Its greatest suffering occurred during World War II when the church was damaged by bombing and the monks killed. With much effort and striving, by the grace of God the monastery has nevertheless been restored.

PAINTERS’ COLONY IN KRKA MONASTERY

His Grace Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia opened a painters’ colony in Krka Monastery on June 4, 2005. Participants in the colony included Mssrs. Djordje Petrovic, Mile Knezevic, Josko Les and Mrs. Ljubica Les. The organizers of the painters’ colony included SKD Prosvjeta Karlovac, SKD Prosvjeta Kistanje and Krka Monastery. The event marked the restoration of a colony traditionally held each year until 1995. Several more colonies are to be organized during the course of the summer for painters from Serbia and Montenegro, as well as Serbian painters from abroad. Participants in the colony beginning on June 4, 2005 donated their works to Krka Monastery and SKD Prosvjeta Kistanje.

FESTIVE RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN BAR

A festive religious procession passed through the streets of Bar last night with church banners and icons in celebration of St. Jovan Vladimir. The procession was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and the clergy of the Bar Archpriest’s Officiate.

Several hundred faithful took part in the religious procession in celebration of the protector of the city of Bar. Led by Metropolitan Amfilohije and the clergy and monks of our Church, they started out from in front of the parish home, passing through the streets of the city center and arriving at the foundations of the age-old monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos, where Metropolitan Amfilohije addressed the people.

''It is as if this holy shrine, which is a thousand years, has lasted only a few moments for the Holy Spirit unites the centuries and generations. Here they prayed to God, consecrated and took communion of the body and blood of the Lord, and convinced God through this and other Bar holy shrines, growing proportionally to the height of Christ. May this city be blessed and all who live in it,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije.

The religious procession then headed to the monument to St. Jovan Vladimir, then circled around the city nucleus to return to the parish home and the site of the future church of St. Jovan Vladimir.

Source: Svetigora

M.V./Z.V.

FORUM ON COMMUNIST CRIMES AGAINST THE SERBS

On the occasion of the publishing of the book “Holy Confessor Varnava, Bishop of Hvosno” and the new issue of Dveri Srpske magazine, which is dedicated to Communist terror and crimes, the Srpski Sabor Dveri Association is organizing a forum on COMMUNIST CRIMES AGAINST THE SERBS.

The forum will be held on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Faculty of Machine Engineering in Belgrade. Speakers are:

- Protopresbyter-Stavrophor SAVO B. JOVIC, author of the books “Holy Confessor Varnava, Bishop of Hvosno” and “The Church Imprisoned”
- Presbyter VELIBOR DZOMIC, author of the book “Suffering of the Serbian Church at the Hands of the Communists”
- ANTONIJE DJURIC, author of the book “Red Plague”
- RADOVAN KALABIC, historian and president of the Matica Iseljenika
- DEJAN MILIC, attorney and publicist
- Editors of Dveri Srpske magazine

Admission free!

DONORS EVENING TO BENEFIT MONASTERIES OF FRUSKA GORA

Yesterday in Petravaradin Fortress under the auspices of the Diocese of Srem, donors evening was held for the restoration of the monasteries of Fruska Gora under the title “This Is a Day Created by the Lord”.

Those present were first blessed by His Grace Bishop Vasilije of Srem, who then addressed them with a sermon for this special occasion. This was followed by a rich cultural and artistic program, including performance by St. George Orthodox Cathedral Choir of Novi Sad, Braca Teofilovici, Svetlana Stevic, actors Danilo Lazovic, Sonja Kolacaric, Ivan Bosiljcic and others.

[Serbian Translation Services]